Improved Cat Box Cabinet

Description: I know this hack has been shown a million times, but I think I added a couple improvements. I found 2 Galant (I think) add-on units in the ‘As-Is’ section of Ikea. Each had 2 sides and 2 ends. I disassembled one, making a 3rd side and lid. I drilled hinge holes into the lid and mounted it so it could be opened from the top. I also cut-down one of the ends to fit inside as a partition. I cut 2 ‘cat door size’ holes, one in the end and one in the partition and install a store bought cat door on the outer end. I also lined the bottom with the Rationell Variera drawer mat.

A couple of advantages:
- The partition keeps the cat box itself at one end. It also helps to ‘chamber’ the smell.
- The cat door has a magnetic catch to keep the door closed, also helping to keep down the odor.
- The mat helps to keep moisture down, preventing ‘stuff’ from soaking into the wood.
- The mat also works to help remove litter from the cat’s feet – I only find just a couple pieces of litter outside the box each week. (Yeah, I find because of the no-odor and no-litter, I clean it less now.)

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Jules Yap "I am Jules, the engine behind IKEAHackers and the one who keeps this site up and running. My mission is to capture all the wonderful, inspiring, clever hacks and ideas for our much loved IKEA items".

15 Responses to Improved Cat Box Cabinet

How do you handle ventilation? I have something similar for my cats, and despite a couple of large “air holes” and using Blue Diamond walnut flushable litter, I’m noticing a concentrated smell. Looking for ideas on how to remedy that.

definitely need to do this because my one year old loves to try and get in the litter box the second I look away :/ (not that I don’t attend to my kid, just that there are times I have to turn my back to cook or clean up a quick mess etc.)

Great hack, Chris. If we lived in an apartment I’d build the same furniture cat box type thing. Fortunately our cats have their own full bathroom in another part of the house, so they just have their regular boxes there, and they use the outside garden during the warmer months of the year.

Jeez! So much for trying to make a joke on the internet! Yes, I clean it regularly. I have to – 2 cats!

Took the cats all of 2 seconds to learn to use it. I put them in there manually, closed the lid so that they saw the light coming thru the door. They knew what to do and didn’t throw a fit. Came out, turned around and went right back in. I’ve had other cat boxes in closets behind other cat doors so they were pretty used to the cat door thing.

I was thinking of mounting a small exhaust fan with charcoal filter, but hadn’t gotten that far yet.

I’ve noted that if I have to, I can put a chairpad on it and it can become emergency seating!

Chris, I love the hack. It’s awesome! and for all the haters out there, my cat gets visibly upset when we clean her cat box. She sits near it and meows at us the whole time, and then she goes in to go to the bathroom the second we’re done. Not every cat needs a box cleaned every day. We clean hers twice a week, and that’s traumatic enough for her.

Do you flush after you go potty? Come on scope the box everyday!It will breed germs you don’t want your kitty to have. I am sorry but I have to agree with “anonymous”. If it is too mucj to keep clean then find a good home for kitty.

I’m going to assume that you and Anon above are both intimate with Chris H’s cat’s potty habits. Perhaps he/she has an indoor/outdoor cat that doesn’t use the box very often due to access to more natural places to do its business. Perhaps the cat simply doesn’t care. I’m pretty sure Chris H could put 2 & 2 together if the cat crapped/pissed on the floor.

The above 2 comments make no sense whatsoever .. shame on you both for thinking that just cuz he made the box himself he’d suddenly clean it less as then when he’d buy one of the shelf?!

Cool hack, was planning on doing the same kinda thing (with a kitchen cabinet) if I’d ever get a cat again. Normal litter boxes are so ugly. Also like how you used the extra shelf. I didn’t think of that yet. I would add some extra air vents though.

“The mat also works to help remove litter from the cat’€™s feet – I only find just a couple pieces of litter outside the box each week. (Yeah, I find because of the no-odor and no-litter, I clean it less now.) “

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